Question

State whether the data described below are discrete or continuous, and explain why.

The exact heights of different elephants. Choose the correct answer below.

A. The data are continuous because the data can take on any value in an interval.

B. The data are discrete because the data can only take on specific values.

C. The data are continuous because the data can only take on specific values.

D. The data are discrete because the data can take on any value in an interval.

Answer 1

A. The data are continuous because the data can take on any value in an interval.

Explanation:

A continuous data is any data set having infinitely many possible values and those values cannot be counted, meaning they are uncountable. Any quantity such as height, volume, weight, density, length, pressure, temperature, speed, distance, time are generally a continuous data.

Hence, the exact heights of different elephants represents a continuous data because the data can take on any value in an interval.

On the other hand, a discrete data is any data set in which the number of possible values are either finite or countable. Thus, a discrete data can only take on specific values. For example, the value of a fair die, number of sweets in a jar, number of eggs in a crate etc.